Venetian blind tilt control means



Dew. 119, 1950 M. a... KESNER VENETIAN BLIND TILT CONTROL MEANS Filed Aug. 12, 1948 H mm ME MK ML H m M ATT'YS Patented Dec, 19, 1950 *cnireo iAT AT'ENT OFFICE I 8 Claims. 1 This invention relates to improvements in Venetian blinds, and particularly to improvements in the tilt-operating means for the louvres of bli-nd's suspended from a-spring-actuated roller arranged for raising the blinds. This invention relates to and comprises improvements upon the construction shown and described my copending application Serial No. 656,968 filed March 25, 1946, for A-uto tilt Venetian Blind, now patent 2,521,980 issued September 12, 1950.

. The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved means for adjusting the an 'gu'l'ar setting of the louvres of a Venetian blind through the agency or the spring powered roller my which the blind is operated; toprovide an improved louvre-operating means in which the angular position, or tilt, of the louvres is determined by the :position to which the blind is raised 'or lowered; to provide an improved louvre-tilt operating means wherein the turning or angula r movement of the louvres is limited to less than a complete revolution regardless of the extent of turning of the actuating roller; to :provide such an operating means arranged to automatically disengage the driving connection between the louvre tilting member and the actuating roller when the louvre's reach a predetermined position 'of tilt; to provide an improved Venetian bl-ind having louvres that are operated through ub-and-down adjustment of the blind and in which the turning movement 'of the -1'ouvres is limited. regardless of the extent of upand-down adjustment of the blind; and to provide an improved automatic louvre operating means that will obviate flutter'or back-and-forth oscillation of the louvres during the operation of raising and lowering the blind.

=An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary, front-elevation view *of a Venetian blind showing the improved louvre-'- operating means.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view as taken on line '2-'2 of Fig. 1, showing the arrangement of the louvreoperating elements.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view as taken on line -3-'- 3 of Fig. 2, showing the construction of the louvre-operating means and the arrangement for mounting the same.

Fig. 4 is a view of the operating means in side elevation and showing the parts in driving relation.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the disengaged position of theparts at the limit of the turning movement of the operating means.

.2 6 is an inside face View of the primary 'louvre=operating member showing the arrange- :ment of its 'clutch disengaging cams, and

:Fig. 7 is an inside face view 'of the operating means mounting bracket showing an end view of the supporting trunnion sleeve for the prii'riaIyi0'uV1e-driVing member and the means for, disengaging the primary driving member from the cldtch. v In the form shown, the improved Venetian blind comprises anbperating roller 1, of suitable construction, having an -:in'=ternal spring, not "shown, arranged in the usual manner for spring actuated curtain rollers and capable of lifting the entire blind; and a plurality 0y louvres 2 suspended fr'om a tilt control bar '3 by means of the usual -'ladder-tapes 4. The tilt bar 3 is rotatably mounted independently of the roller I, on a n xed axis below and parallel with the roller and the assembly is disposed within a frame 5., which includes suitable louvre end -guides -6.-

The usual bottombar or rail, by which the blind is raised and lowered, is also provided and this bottom bar is suspended from the roller 1 by means of suitable tapes or straps 1 are secured to and wound around the roller. I whereby turning of the roller will lift or lower the bottom bar and raise or lower the blind. The bettom bar may also be arranged any "of several 'wellk-nown ways :for engagement with the 'l'ciuvr'e end-guides to Zprovide stop means fdr holding the blind in the desired position of ole.-

vation.

Since this invention is particularly directed "to the louvre=tilt operating means, the bottom bar of the blind is not shown herein and'on-ly one each of the ladder tapes and lifting straps is illustrated. These elements are old and well known in the art and for an illustration of a suitable arrangement of the same, which maybe utilized in the practice of this invention, refer once is made to my aforesaid copendin-g ap lication wherein a complete blind construction is shown. I h-e improved louvre tilt operating means, as herein shown, is mounted in the upper inside corner of the flame 5, at corresponding ends of the ;roller l and tilt bar 3, and both the roller and tilt 'bar are supported on fixed axes bythe operating means. Particularly, the operating means comprises a .pair of -op'erat'ively meshing gear elements 9 and "9, suitably mounted on a bracket Ill, and each gear element is dis-posed on the axis of a respective one of the roller and the tilt bar members and is arranged to have a driving connection therewith. Thus rotation of the roller I will directly cause rotation of the tilt bar 3.

As shown, the upper or primary gear element 8 of the operating means is in the form of a segment gear and the driving connection with the roller is obtained through a friction clutch member II, the hub of which is provided with a square socket l2 to receive the square shaft l3 which is fixed to and projects from the end of the roller I, the clutch member I being thereby keyed to the roller for rotation therewith.

The lower gear member 9, which is meshed with the primary gear 8, is arranged to receive and support the end of the tilt bar 3, the tilt bar 3 having a pair of laterally spaced pins I4 which extend into suitable sockets or openings I5 formed in the face of the gear element 9.

As shown in Fig. 3, the operating means is mounted on the bracket ID by means of a pair of trunnion members [6 and I! which are rigidly secured on the bracket l0 and project inwardly therefrom. The upper trunnion member I6 is in the form of a hollow sleeve press fitted into an opening in the bracket and adapted to support both the gear 8 and the clutch II, the segment gear 8 being rotatably journaled externally on the sleeve and the clutch member being provided with an axial projection or hub |8 which extends into and rotatably fits the sleeve bore. Thus the clutch member rotates within the sleeve I8 and the segment gear 8 turns on the outside of the sleeve l5, whereby the gear and clutch may rotate together or independently.

The clutch member H is secured in the sleeve |8 by means of a bolt |9 which is threaded into a suitably tapped socket or opening in the end of the axial projection l8, the head of the bolt |8 engaging on the inner race of a ball thrustbearing 20 which is disposed between the head of the bolt and the outer face of the bracket I0. The outer race of the ball bearing 20 bears against the bracket l9 so that the clutch member I l and the securing bolt |9 may turn together and be freely rotatable in the sleeve trunnion l8, while being secured against axial displacement therein.

The clutch member H is provided with a radial flange-like portion 2| which has a suitable friction lining 22 secured on its inner face for frictional engagement with the face of the gear segment 8. The gear segment 8, which is axially slidable on the trunnion I6, is normally urged into engagement with the clutch lining 22 by means of 'a coil spring 23 which surrounds the trunnion and bears axially between the opposite face of the segment gear and the outer shell of a ball thrust bearing 24. The outer shell of the bearing 24 surrounds and turns with the outer race of the bearing and the inner race of the bearing is arranged to bear against the bracket l0 so that the segment gear 8, together with the spring 23 and the shell of the bearing 24, will be freely rotatable relative to the trunnion l6 and the bracket l0.

7 The second gear element 9 is rotatably mounted on the trunnion or stub shaft l! which, in turn, is rigidly secured to the bracket I0 by means of a bolt 25 which extends through a suitable opening in the bracket and is threaded into a suitably tapped opening in the end of the trunnion, the trunnion I! having an annular shoulder engaging the inner face of the bracket member and the head of the bolt 25 bearing against the outer face of the bracket member so as to securely clamp the trunnion I! in place. As shown, the

gear 9 is provided with a hub 28 which bears against a bushing 21 which in turn serves as a spacer to hold the gear 9 in proper alined position with the segment gear 8.

The means for operating the clutch so as to disengage the tilt-bar operating mechanism from the roller comprises a pair of angularly spaced pins 28 and 29 which project radially from the hollow trunnion l8 and engage a pair of cam-like portions 30 and 3| which project axially in the manner of a hub, from the body of the segment gear 8.

As shown in Fig. 6 these cam-like portions are diametrically opposed and are arranged to extend axially along the outer surface of the trunnion I8 toward the fixed pins 28 and 29. Each of the cam-like portions 30 and 3| is provided with a pair of opposed angularly directed finger portions 32 positioned to engage a respective pin and each finger 32 is provided with an inwardly slanted cam surface arranged cause the segment gear 8 to be drawn axially on the trunnion l5, away from the friction facing 22 of the clutch member and against the action of the spring 23, whenever the gear is turned so that the fingers 32 engage the respective pins and cause them to ride on the cam surfaces.

This action is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings in which Fig. 4 shows the finger portion 32 as it first engages the pin 28, and Fig. 5 shows the manner in which the segment gear 8 is cammed axially inward on the trunnion I8 by means of the slanted cam surface of the finger 32 and as it is driven to ride on the pin 28. The gear 8 is retained in cammed engagement with the pins, against the action of the spring 23, during continued rotation of the roller I, through sliding frictional engagement of the gear with the clutch since the camming effect will only be sufiicient to cause the clutch to slip.

Thus in operation of the improved tilt-bar operating mechanism, the upper gear member 8 is normally in driving engagement with the clutch member II which in turn is fixed to rotate with the roller and any turning movement of the roller I will be imparted directly to the louvre tilt bar 3 through the tilt bar gear 9, which is meshed with the upper or primary operating gear 8, the gear 8 being held in tight frictional engagement with the clutch member I! by means of the spring 23.

The gear 9, however, cannot turn through one complete revolution because of overlapping engagement of the louvre slats 2 when they reach their closed position. Therefore, the gear elements 8 and 9 are preferably proportioned so that the gear element 8 need only turn through approximately l20 in order to impart a maximum turning movement of the gear element 9. The stop or camming means or pins 28 and 29 are, therefore, so positioned angularly relative to each other and the cams 38 and 3| on the gear element 8 are so formed that upon turning of the roller I to such an extent as to cause the louver slats 2 to turn to a fully closed overlapping position, the cams 30 and 3| will engage the stop pins 28 and 29 and cause the gear element 8 to be withdrawn or released from its spring-pressed driving connection with the clutch facing 22, whereupon the roller I may continue to turn without imparting any further driving or turning movement to the louvre tilt bar 3.

The stop pins 28 and 29 and the camming portions 30 and 3| of the segment gear 8 are so arranged that this disengaging action of the segmeat gear, with respect to the (i-latch facing, eecurs at the pro er point during rotation pf the roller 1 in either direction. Thus, when the blind is being either raised or lowered, the louvres will turn to their overlapping "or closed position and then remain stationary until the blind has been set to the desired position of elevation. Then the desired position orangu-lar set of the louvres is obtained by merely shifting thebo'tt'o'm member of the blind a small distance the opposite direction which will reverse the direction of the roller and cause the clutch to drive the operating gears to turn the louvre tilt bar 3. Since the clutch is in driving engagement with the rimary gear 8 at all times, except when the louvres are turned to closed position, the driving mechanism will be immediately responsive to any movement of the bottom member of the blind, and consequently any turning of the roller I, and any intermediate setting of the louvres is obtained by simply shifting the bottom member of the blind in the appropriate direction,

The main advantages of this invention reside in the automatic operation of the louvre tilt mechanism by the simple expedient of merely raising or lowering the blind and in the arragement whereby the louvres can only turn to a fully closed position regardless of the extent to which the blind is raised or lowered. Thus flutter or repeated back and forth oscillation of the louvres, during manipulation of the blind, is completely obviated with the resulting elimination of rattle or clatter of the louvre slats while the blind is being raised or lowered.

Other advantages reside in the simple arrangement of the tilt operating mechanism and in the direct, quick acting, positive drive that is provided whereby the desired louvre setting is obtained with but a small change in the elevation of the blind; and in the operating means construction wherein no adjustment is ever required and wherein the mechanism is rugged, long lasting and fool proof.

Although but one specific embodiment of the invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that many details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A louvred blind comprising a roller member, means to rotate said roller member, a rotatable louvre tilting member mounted independently of said roller member, operating means connected between said members and arranged to turn said tilting member upon rotation of said roller member, said operating means comprising a pair of relatively shiftable rotatable elements normally engaging each other frictionally, and means adapted to shift one of said elements out of engagement with the other at predetermined angular position of rotation of said tilting member during rotation of said roller.

2. A louvred blind comprising a roller, means to rotate said roller, a rotatable louvre tilting means mounted independently of said roller, operating means arranged to provide a driving connection between said roller and said tilting means, said operating means including a spring actuated friction clutch normally connecting a pair of relatively rotatable elements, and means adapted to release said clutch at predetermined positions of angular movement and limit the rotation of said tilting means during rotation of said roller.

=33. A louvred blind comprising a roller, means to turn said roller, a 'sh'af t fixed to and extending rrom one end of said'roiler, a rotatable louvre tilting means, operating means connected to said shaft for actuation by said roller and ham ing driving connection with said louvre tilting means to the same, and fixed ear-n means adapted to operatively disengage the connection between said operating means and said shaft during turning of said roller and at predetermined angular positions of said lo'u'vre tilting means.

A louvred blind "comprising a roller, means to 'turn said roller, a Shaft fixed to and extending from one end of said roller, a rotatable louvre tilting means, operating means connected to said shaft for actuation by said roller and having driving connection with said louvre tilting means to turn the same, a clutch adapted to normally connect said operating means and said shaft, and means adapted to automatically release said clutch when said louvre tilting means has turned a predetermined amount under the influence of said roller.

5. A louvred blind comprising a roller member and a rotatable louvre tilting member mounted on parallel axes, means to turn said roller member, a gear disposed on the axis of each of said members at corresponding ends thereof, said gears being in meshed driving relation with each other, one of said gears being fixedly connected to the end of its respective member and the second gear being axially shiftable relative to and having a frictional drive connection with the other member, means normally urging said second gear toward said other member, and means adapted to shift said second gear axially and release said frictional drive connection at a predetermined angular position of said tilting member during turning of said roller member;

6. A louvred blind comprising a roller member and a rotatable louvre tilting member mounted on parallel axes, means to turn said roller member, a gear disposed on the axis of each of said members at corresponding ends thereof, said gears being in meshed driving relation with each other, one of said gears being fixedly connected to the end of its respective member and the second gear being axially shiftable and having a frictional drive connection with the other member, means normally urging said second gear axially toward said other member, and means adapted to release said frictional drive connection upon a predetermined rotation of said tilting member.

7. A louvred blind comprising a roller and a rotatable louvre tilting means mounted on parallel axes, means to turn said roller, a mounting bracket disposed at one end of said roller and having a fixed sleeve projecting toward said roller along the axis thereof; a clutch member journaled in said sleeve and connected to the end of said roller for rotation therewith, an operating member journaled on said sleeve and having driving connection with said tilting means to rotate the same, said operating member being normally engaged with said clutch member, and means to release said operating member from said clutch member at a predetermined angular position of said tilting means.

8. A louvred blind comprising a roller and a rotatable louvre tilting means mounted on parallel axes, means to turn said roller, a mounting bracket disposed at one end of said roller and having a fixed sleeve projecting toward said 7- roller along the axis thereof; 'a' clutch member journaled on said sleeve and connected to the end of said roller for rotation therewith, a segment gear journaled on said sleeve and slidable axially into and out of engagement with said clutch member, a stub shaft mounted on said bracket and aligned with the axis of said tilting means, a gear wheel journaled on said stub shaft and having connection with the end of said tilting means to rotate therewith, said gear wheel being in driving relation with said segment gear, means normally urging said segment gear into engagement with said clutch member, and means adapted to shift said segment gear axially away from said clutch member at a predetermined angular position of said tilting means.

MICHAEL L. KESNER.

REFERENCES CITED I The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 2,231,778 Swanson Feb. 11, 1941 2,250,106 Lorentzen July 22, 1941 2,276,716 Cardona Mar, 17, 1942 2,298,538 McKerlie Oct. 13, 1942 

